The kitchen is at the back of the house and looks out onto the garden and the AE will be situated in a plug socket on that wall (in the kitchen, just next to the window).

What I need then is a couple of discreet speakers that can connect to the AE via a 3.5mm jack (am I right in saying they need some kind of amplifier built in to achieve this?).

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Actually, you might be better of with a small amplifier that you can hide in a kitchen cabinet. You would have an even wider variety of speakers to choose from (even those silly "rock" speakers) and then you don't have to worry about powering them. Just run weatherproof direct-burial speaker cable.

LOL, the cable sold for low-voltage outdoor lighting would qualify as excellent "weatherproof direct-burial speaker cable". That's what you'd need to get low-voltage from a wall-wart to powered speakers anyway - a good, fat direct-burial cable.

Actually, you might be better of with a small amplifier that you can hide in a kitchen cabinet. You would have an even wider variety of speakers to choose from (even those silly "rock" speakers) and then you don't have to worry about powering them. Just run weatherproof direct-burial speaker cable.

LOL, the cable sold for low-voltage outdoor lighting would qualify as excellent "weatherproof direct-burial speaker cable". That's what you'd need to get low-voltage from a wall-wart to powered speakers anyway - a good, fat direct-burial cable.

One channel for one speaker, two channels for two. With enough watts to drive your speakers to your required volume, and little enough distortion to keep your ears happy.

You could look on Craigslist for a used stereo component amp. You could get a new one for anywhere from $50 to $thousands, depending on what you want. Emotiva's seem highly recommended, at least over on a Denon thread I follow, for those who feel their AV receiver's amps are inadequate, or for running Zone2/Zone3 in another room. But they are pretty big.

This is NOT a recommendation, but just a quick Google search. For something more compact, look for something like this:

First and last links are passive speakers. I would search for "active outdoor speakers" and you'll find what you're looking for.

If a speaker has no mention of being active or powered, chances are it'll list it's impedance, typically 8 or 4 ohms, this is the figure you would match to a separate amplifier thus the fact that it's there indicates that they're passive speakers.

First and last links are passive speakers. I would search for "active outdoor speakers" and you'll find what you're looking for.

If a speaker has no mention of being active or powered, chances are it'll list it's impedance, typically 8 or 4 ohms, this is the figure you would match to a separate amplifier thus the fact that it's there indicates that they're passive speakers.

1. plug an Airport Express into some powered outdoor speakers
2. hook an Airport Express or ATV2 into an amplifier or receiver and run speaker wire to passive outdoor speakers (my setup @ home)
3. move an Airplay compatible speaker system in and out of the house as you need it.
4. buy an Airplay compatible receiver and run speaker wires to outdoor speakers

It seems as if Airplay compatible products are slow to come on the market, but I'm sure that time will tell if MFG's realize that this is probably the easiest and least expensive way to stream music around the house--no longer do you have to spend thousands up front to have it built into a house or even more to add it to an existing house. This option is not no longer just for the rich thanks to new innovations from MFG's like Apple and its Airplay partners. All other options are too hard to setup by the average consumer or too expensive up front for the average consumer.

1. plug an Airport Express into some powered outdoor speakers
2. hook an Airport Express or ATV2 into an amplifier or receiver and run speaker wire to passive outdoor speakers (my setup @ home)
3. move an Airplay compatible speaker system in and out of the house as you need it.
4. buy an Airplay compatible receiver and run speaker wires to outdoor speakers

It seems as if Airplay compatible products are slow to come on the market, but I'm sure that time will tell if MFG's realize that this is probably the easiest and least expensive way to stream music around the house--no longer do you have to spend thousands up front to have it built into a house or even more to add it to an existing house. This option is not no longer just for the rich thanks to new innovations from MFG's like Apple and its Airplay partners. All other options are too hard to setup by the average consumer or too expensive up front for the average consumer.

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Ok...

I have an Airport Express in the living room hooked up to an Onkyo 606 A/V receiver via optical, so are you saying I could somehow run speaker wire from the 606 to a pair of passive speakers in the garden?

And if so, would that mean that when I sent music to the AE in the living room it would come out in both the garden and the living room speakers?

I have an Airport Express in the living room hooked up to an Onkyo 606 A/V receiver via optical, so are you saying I could somehow run speaker wire from the 606 to a pair of passive speakers in the garden?

And if so, would that mean that when I sent music to the AE in the living room it would come out in both the garden and the living room speakers?

If so, that would be perfect.

Thanks.

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Yep. If you have a multi-room/multi-source receiver, then you can play the AE in either location and have the other location play the same music or another source. If it is not multi-room/multi-source, then you probably have the speakers outs configured for A (living room), B (outside), or A+B (living & outside) to determine where your music is playing. Both inside and outside will be on the same volume control (your receiver), so you may want to add an extra volume control to one of the speaker sets if you want one set to be louder than the other semi-independently. But it might be the least expensive way to getting iTunes to the back patio, if you can do it yourself, and it can help with the resale value of your house.

Yep. If you have a multi-room/multi-source receiver, then you can play the AE in either location and have the other location play the same music or another source. If it is not multi-room/multi-source, then you probably have the speakers outs configured for A (living room), B (outside), or A+B (living & outside) to determine where your music is playing. Both inside and outside will be on the same volume control (your receiver), so you may want to add an extra volume control to one of the speaker sets if you want one set to be louder than the other semi-independently. But it might be the least expensive way to getting iTunes to the back patio, if you can do it yourself, and it can help with the resale value of your house.

Yes, you can either use the Zone 2 speaker out to run to passive speakers outside, or you can use wireless speakers or other actives speakers outside using the Zone 2 Line Out. Either way, you are capable of playing either the same source or difference sources in both locations with independent volume control.

Yes, you can either use the Zone 2 speaker out to run to passive speakers outside, or you can use wireless speakers or other actives speakers outside using the Zone 2 Line Out. Either way, you are capable of playing either the same source or difference sources in both locations with independent volume control.

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Brilliant, thank you!

So essentially all I need to do is get some decent passive speakers and run speaker wire to them from the Onkyo?

I need to understand what to connect the speaker wire to at the back of the amp now and then how I ensure that when the Airport Express input is playing that the garden speakers are also outputting....

So essentially all I need to do is get some decent passive speakers and run speaker wire to them from the Onkyo?

I need to understand what to connect the speaker wire to at the back of the amp now and then how I ensure that when the Airport Express input is playing that the garden speakers are also outputting....

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Azzin if you are running 7.1 Zone 2 will need active speakers (or its own amp). If you are running 5.1 then zone 2 can use the 2 spare amps from the Onkyo and you can use passive speakers.

Yes, you can either use the Zone 2 speaker out to run to passive speakers outside, or you can use wireless speakers or other actives speakers outside using the Zone 2 Line Out. Either way, you are capable of playing either the same source or difference sources in both locations with independent volume control.

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More resent AV Receivers commonly allow 5.1 and a 2nd zone in those mid models with active B or active zones.Anyway I personally use these: (Speakercraft's Oe6 One)& can highly recommend them (just read some reviews around on the net).

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